Reports: Former Giants No. 1 pick Francis Peay passes away

Francis Peay, an All-American at Missouri, the Giants’ No. 1 pick in 1966 and the former head football coach at Northwestern, passed away Saturday at age 69, according to multiple reports.

The University of Notre Dame, for whom Peay coached the junior-varsity football team from 1976-1977, announced Peay’s passing on Saturday morning. Northwestern also disclosed the news, according to Teddy Greenstein of the Chicago Tribune.

An offensive tackle. Peay played for the Giants (1966-1967), Packers (1968-1972) and Chiefs (1973-1974) in a nine-season NFL career.

Peay coached Northwestern from 1986 through 1991. The Wildcats were 13-51-2 in his tenure. However, in his first season, he led the Wildcats to four wins, their most since 1973. Northwestern wouldn’t win four games again until 1995, its 10-win Rose Bowl season.